Crispy Spiced Cauliflower Bhajis (Printable Version)

Golden fritters with spiced cauliflower and chickpea flour, paired with cooling mint yogurt dip.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Bhajis

01 - 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets (approximately 1.1 lbs)
02 - 1 small red onion, finely sliced
03 - 1 cup chickpea flour (gram flour/besan)
04 - 2 tablespoons rice flour
05 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
06 - 2 green chilies, finely chopped (optional)
07 - 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
08 - 1 teaspoon ground coriander
09 - 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
14 - 4 to 4.25 fluid ounces water, as needed
15 - Vegetable oil for deep-frying

→ For the Yogurt Dip

16 - 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
17 - 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
19 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
20 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
21 - Pinch of salt

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, mint, cilantro, lemon juice, ground cumin, and salt. Mix until smooth and well incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, rice flour, cumin seeds, ground coriander, turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala, baking powder, and salt.
03 - Add cauliflower florets, sliced red onion, chopped cilantro, and green chilies (if using) to the flour mixture. Toss thoroughly to evenly coat all vegetables.
04 - Gradually add water while stirring to create a thick batter that adheres to the vegetables. The consistency should be sticky but not watery; each piece should be well coated.
05 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok to 340°F (170°C). Maintain consistent temperature throughout the frying process.
06 - Using a spoon, carefully drop small portions of batter into the hot oil in batches, avoiding overcrowding the pan. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp.
07 - Remove fritters with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately while hot with chilled yogurt dip.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Theyre shatteringly crisp on the outside and tender inside, with spices that wake up your whole mouth.
  • You can prep the yogurt dip ahead and fry these up in under half an hour when guests arrive.
  • Chickpea flour makes them naturally gluten free and gives them a nutty richness you dont get from wheat.
02 -
  • The batter needs to be thick enough to hold the vegetables together, too thin and theyll fall apart in the oil and turn greasy.
  • Dont rush the oil temperature, if its too cool the bhajis absorb oil and go soggy, too hot and they burn outside while staying raw inside.
  • Fry in small batches even if youre tempted to speed things up, overcrowding drops the oil temperature and makes everything steam instead of crisp.
03 -
  • Use a thermometer to monitor oil temperature, consistent heat is the difference between soggy and crispy.
  • Dont skip the baking powder, it helps the bhajis stay light and airy instead of dense and heavy.
  • Taste your batter before frying and adjust the salt or spice, its easier to fix now than after cooking.
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